


Livin' out in the Badlands

by Iarumas



Category: Cyberpunk 2077 (Video Game)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:47:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28316241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iarumas/pseuds/Iarumas
Summary: Post Star-ending.Street Kid V and Tech Girl Judy are not the best equipped for badlands life. Panam tries to teach them.
Relationships: Judy Alvarez/Female V
Comments: 3
Kudos: 242





	1. Chapter 1

“Is that...a dog?” V wondered, looking through her binoculars at the four-legged mammal. 

“I think...” Judy said as she took the device from V’s hands “..it’s a coyote. I remember when I was kid they’d tell us not to go too far into the hills in case of coyote attacks. Or was that mountain lions?” 

“Wait, lions? Like those huge cats with fur around their heads? The one in the ads?” 

“Well, yeah...though, I think mountain lions are different?” 

“How?”

“Dunno, think they didnt have the fur part. Don't really remember that much” 

“Oh, so like, a giant version of the street cat I showed you that one time?”

Judy shrugged “Probably”

Behind them Panam was standing, scratching her head, suddenly wondering if a hunting trip was really a good idea. 

Especially when the hunters-in-training couldn't tell what kind animal they were going after. 

\----

  
  


In the end the hunting trip turned out alright. All Panam needed to do was confirm that no, they were not after coyotes, at least not as the first target anyway. Instead it was rabbits and the coyotes were simply used as indicators for nearby rabbit burrows. 

That Panam had to describe stalking prey as assassinating a person to get V to understand the process of tracking and hunting was only a little disturbing. 

Getting her and Judy to shoot an ‘adorable little fluff ball’ ( Judy’s words) was also a little challenging. 

Despite it all though the pair managed to get over the initial hurdles and proved to be alright shots, even if the air-rifle wasn't either person's usual weapon of choice. 

Now, however, came another test: cooking. 

“You’ve never cooked before?” Panam looked at V in surprise.

V shook her head “Nah, don't think ive ever had a working kitchen. Was always vending machines or street food when I was growing up. Cheap restaurants when I got older, like Tom’s Diner. Think I can count on one hand the amount of times I've had real meat.”

“Judy?” Panam turned to the techie, hoping at least she had some experience. 

Judy put her hand on a level and wiggled it “Eh, not a lotta times. Remember Gran cooking when I was young and my group home had a kitchen, but that only had a microwave and a toaster-oven. I can make great Hot Pockets though!” 

V and Judy shared a laugh while Panam groaned, though she did so with a smile. 

“Oh God. Alright” She took out her knife. Long, thing and well cared for “Well, first stage is the skinning”

V blinked, pausing “The what?”

Judy parroted her partner. 

“We gotta peel off the rabbit skin, then take out their guts” Panam said as matter-of-factly as she could, suppressing her laugh with considerable effort. 

Judy’s face turned a shade closer to her hair while V winced. 

Panam decided she enjoyed this part more than the hunting. 

___

  
  


Rabbit stew was on the menu for their bit of the camp, with a side of frozen mashed potatoes and frozen peas and whatever packets of microwave meals were on hand to add some variety. 

All in all, it wasn't too bad Panam thought. She would have preferred more of a smoky flavour but Mitch had claimed the paprika, that asshole. 

V enjoyed it though, going by how she was devouring her second bowl. Turned out the skinned and gutting process wasn't too bad on her and she turned out pretty alright at it, though they weren't making fur hats anytime soon with the scraps V tore off. 

Judy on the other hand….

“You sure you don't want some Jude?” V offered a ladle of stew and Judy actually backed away from it like it was a weapon and she was being threatened. 

“Never got it ‘till now but I think the vegetarians had a point, alt-protein was a good thing” 

Panam and V shared a look, then shook their heads in unison. 

Judy rolled her eyes “I’ll stick to my synth-beef thanks” 

“Well, more for me!” V happily cheered. 

Panam raised her bowl in solidarity. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Water is precious out in the Badlands, you gotta watch how much you use. 
> 
> V and Judy take a bit of time to learn that fact. 
> 
> Panam just wants a shower.

“The water tanks on half, you all know what means” Mitch called out at that morning’s briefing, that short little ‘hey, good morning everyone, here's all the shit we need done today if we wanna move more than a mile’ that apparently every Nomad family had to do everyday.

Except V and Judy didn't ‘know what that meant’ and had to ask Panam to elaborate.

“Oh, its not so bad” She answered “Just no excessive use of water from now on”

“...and that means?” Judy pressed.

“No showers mostly. But no washing your hands after every meal with the tap as well, gotta use the washbowls. Also, no washing clothes except for on Wednesdays where its all a big wash, then its mostly the stuff you wanna keep wearing so usually a shirt, pants and as much underwear as you can get away with...umm, what else…”

It turned out trying to explain things that to Panam was so common knowledge they didn't usually need explanation was a bit of a challenge. In the end she shrugged and went “You know, things like that. Just try not to waste it, next watering hole’s about a weeks time”

V and Judy shrugged and she was happy to leave them be.

They had some common sense after all.

___

They did not have as much common sense as Panam thought.

Three days after Mitch announced the water tank was on a quarter, so more stringent measures were taken and more rationing was implemented. No showers at all, no drinking unless absolutely necessary (beer was plentiful), and no washing clothes until the next watering hole.

It probably wasn't just V and Judy. They probably didn't even make a dent on their own. The convoy was going through the California desert in the tail-end of summer so the engines needed more water to keep chugging. It was also a particularly dry summer and their last watering hotels weren't as filled as they usually would be.

Plus they also had a fucking tank to maintain.

There were a lot of reasons why water was a bit scarce right now.

But when Panam saw V and Judy dyeing their hair she had to put palm to head.

Mostly, her palm to their heads.

“Ow!”

“Ah!”

“Panam!” Both cried out “What was that for?!”

“Dammit guys…” the nomad pinched the bridge of her nose “...why are you using the day's washbowl to dye your hair?”

Both looked at each other, then down at the bowl of water .

“Er…” V started “...This was for today? Like, _all_ of this was for _today_? Just this?”

“For our group, yeah” Panam still wasn't looking at them

“Oh...” Judy said. “Shit”

The water was already a kaleidoscope of colours, Judy’s shades of green and pink as well as V’s more vibrant, neon pink.

“Yeah…” Panam sighed “Shit”

“Sorry…”

Oh, Panam made sure they were _sorry_ that day.

___

“Ow” V collapsed into the couch.

“Uff” Judy followed on top of her.

“It's soooo hot!” Both moaned.

Sitting on the ground, back against the arm of the couch and staring skyward with her arm on her forehead, Panam couldn't even muster the energy to agree.

It was the hottest point of the day and the convoy had to make a stop and get some shade set out, which was what the three of them had just finished doing, erecting a basic tarpaulin cover over their couch.

Which was about as much as they _could_ do in this heat.

“Ughhhh….Panam, is it too late to get back to NC? I might get hit by a stray bullet at any minute but at least I get aircon in my apartment” V half joked half cried.

“Can't we like...get into Carol’s fridge?” Judy asked.

“I wish” Panam groaned, honestly tempted by the thought “But we don't even have ice. Or water for ice. And carol would shoot us out for using it if we’re not netrunning”

“Ughhhh” V mock cried.

Or actually cried, Panam couldn't tell.

Holy shit was it _hot_.

And she hasn't showered in days.

It was sometime later that someone approached them though all three were too conked out to even lift their heads to see who.

There was a thud as they put something on the ground.

“Uhhh, hey guys?” One of the Aldecaldo’s asked tentatively “One of the scouting parties came back from a town nearby, they got some coolers and-”

The unfortunate Aldecaldo was bowled out of the way as three suddenly active women rushed to the cooler, nearly ripped the lid open and ducked their heads in.

Straight into a cooler full of ice and beer cans.

“Owwww!” all three yelled, slamming their heads into cans, though none even thought about taking their heads away from the blessedly cold cooler.

“Um...that was for...this part of camp...er...nevermind” the Aldecaldo backed away slowly when the cooler cerberus did not respond.

____

It was with great joy and celebration that the convoy reached the next watering hole, and it was treated with real celebration when they found it was full and had enough to fill their tanks.

Panam, as gracious leader, bagsied the first shower available.

She had to use Overwatch to keep V and Judy from following after her.

But damn, did it feel good as the first drops hit her face.

Sometimes it was good to be the head of the family.


End file.
